Dying Red Fondant

This is a terrible subject. I spent so much valuable time today with a red no-taste bottle of gel paste in front of me and fondant in my hands. When I began to realize this fondant wasn't going anywhere above pink, I smeared Crisco on it, wrapped it in saran wrap, and huffed.

Then, I went to the wonderful invention of Google and looked up what to do about this dilemma. Apparently, red and black are two colors that need to set in order to achieve the right color. Interesting...&very good information.

Also, it's easier to use maraschino cherry juice in the beginning and then continue to knead in the red color to get a better taste and the correct hue.

Still though...maybe it's just easier to buy the darn stuff.

Business Savvy

Ever since I realized that I would need business savvy in the world of success, I went to the library & got to work. I just recently finished the book Ignore Everybody And 39 Other Keys to Creativity by Hugh MacLeod, the creator of gapingvoid.com.

First of all, I think that all students should invest some time into reading this book. It's short, simple, and to the point, which college students adore.

MacLeod gives very good points about being your own person and what it really takes to succeed in this world where everybody is trying to get ahead.

Now, for some personal favorite quotes:

"Great ideas alter the power balance in relationships. That's why great ideas are initially resisted."

"The sovereignty you have over your work will inspire far more people than the actual content."

"Doing anything worthwhile takes forever. Ninety percent of what separates successful people and failed people is time, effort, and stamina."

"And if you don't see yourself as creative, that's not reality, that's a self-imposed limitation."

&FINALLY,

"Put your whole self into it, and you will find your true voice. Hold back and you won't. It's that simple."

It's a wonderful read & has very useful information. It also happens to be hilarious.

I'd recommend it any day.

Fondanting the day away

My grandma's birthday is today, so...HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRANDMA SANDERS!

I made this cake after the design on my sketchbook.

Enjoy!

Missions

I am on a couple of very big missions.

The first mission is to hold a bake sale for the Great American Bake Sale under the Share Our Strength Foundation. The bake sale will be held in mid-October or mid-November depending on the schedules of the CSN campus, Student Council of the high school, NHS of the high school, and SMAD. The Bake sale will be held at the Charleston Campus in builidings I (K) and D, hopefully. Also, I hope to expand the locations to the West Charleston Library and the Wal-Mart on Charleston and Torrey Pines.

I plan to get as many clubs that I know involved with this project so we can set up various locations for bake sales on one day. I hope to raise thousands and thousands of dollars because hunger in America is something that is easily passed by for organizations that are far from the US. I have a lot of work to do if I want this event to go smoothly. I plan on approaching many bakeries and organizations asking for donations and also spreading a lot of advertisements. I'm also interested in finding a way to have people donate online to the cause if they wish to do so. I think I'm going to have thank you cards to give out too.

My second mission is to save enough money to be able to study abroad in Osaka, Japan during the Fall Semester of 2011.

This is going to be EXPENSIVE & I happen to be stuck in the ever expanding middle class where I can't qualify for financial aid, and a lot of scholarships won't consider me because of my parent's income. While I find this to be an issue, it is only a small issue. I'm still going to apply for financial aid and scholarships in the hopes that one organization might hear my pleas. Since I do not have much faith in this system, I am determined to take matters into my own hands. I am going to hold bake sales, craft sales, ask for donations, contact small businesses, large businesses, iconic figures, family members. I am going to make sure that I can go to Osaka, Japan &that I will be comfortable with my finances there. I am going to use of all of my business savvy (still in progress, as always) to persuade the masses of people in Las Vegas that I deserve to study abroad and that they want to help me make this happen.

So, wish me luck bloggers!

It is going to be one busy year.

The Beginning of Yummyness

It's hard for me to recall when this baking euphoria began. I vaguely recall loving sweets so much that I wanted to bake them every day & to enjoy them, I had to bake them well. I found countless recipes that made my mouth drool& spent hundreds of dollars at Wal-Mart searching for all of the ingredients.

The point of this post is to look through what I've baked & track my improvement. So, enjoy! (even though I don't have any viewers yet, I like to pretend that I do :] ).

1. I remember being ridiculously proud of this cake that any person can make. Obviously, it isn't the most impressive thing in the baking world, but OH WELL. It tasted good.

2. These were my first homemade cookies.

They were peanut butter with peanut butter and chocolate chips.

I became addicted to making things the homemade way.

3. My first try at piping...& I didn't even know that I was piping.

4. My first fondant cake for a 21st birthday. My main goal was to just try out fondant & see if I liked it. I didn't just like it; I fell in love with the whole concept of decorating.

5. My 2nd fondant cake for my best friend's birthday. I took this picture in a way that you can't see all of my mistakes, because trust me, there were many. I didn't make enough cake, enough fondant, and my stems&letters were breaking. It was a complete mess, and I learned a lot from it. But, it looks rather darling here.

6. I made a whole bunch of these cupcakes for a co-worker's birthday mid-June. They all came out very cute & the process went smoothly. It seems that I'm improving.

These are just the desserts that I took pictures of. I'll try to take pictures more often to track the progress. But, to all of the people out there trying out new hobbies, this is just a tribute that says that the going is NEVER easy in the beginning. The more you stick to it, the more impressed you'll be with yourself.

Good Night Bloggers!

Overbooked.

I think it's safe to say that I overprojected (not a word, i'm aware) myself with cake decorating. My grandma's birthday is this tuesday (8 inch, branch detailed, two-layer raspberry filled goodness), Vinnie's birthday is August 15th (three-tiered, over-detailed, mega man hugeness), Amy's birthday on August 12th (24 individually designed "life" cupcakes), Mindy's Birthday at the end of August (just a simple cake, thank goodness) Aida's birthday, also at the end of august (undecided). After that, there is Lauren's baby shower to plan and a diaper cake to make (which I'm secretly excited about). Besides this, I have Japanese and Chinese to study EVERY DAY, Anime Vegas to volunteer for in September, an internship with the application due August 10th, and then my sister's birthday September 15th. THE MADNESS NEVER ENDS.

But, I'm having a good time.